Our Senators

Barbara Favola

Senator Barbara Favola represents Virginia's 31st district, which stretches along the Potomac River from Fort Myer and the Pentagon to Arlington and into the east end of Loudon County.

Senator Favola and her husband, Doug Weik, have lived in Northern Virginia for nearly 30 years. Their son Donald Patrick (DP) is a senior at George Mason University. He attended and graduated from Virginia public schools, where Barbara volunteered and was active in the PTA.

Prior to her election in 2011, the Senator served on the Arlington County Board for fourteen years and chaired that body three times. During her service with the County, Senator Favola was the Board's leading advocate for children, youth and families. She supported the creation of teen lounges for young people, established mental health services in the public schools, provided a permanent home for the Head Start program and forged a community Partnership for Children, Youth and Families.

As an environmentalist, Senator Favola championed land-use and transportation policies designed to encourage smart growth along metro corridors while at the same time protecting surrounding neighborhoods from encroachment. She is a strong advocate for policies that increase the supply of affordable housing and improve our quality of life. Senator Favola is a strong supporter of environmental and “Green Building” initiatives to reduce our carbon footprint.

She has been a vigorous supporter of human rights and environmental stewardship, including protecting the Chesapeake. Senator Favola is Chair of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Chesapeake Bay Committee. The Committee, established in 1998, tracks developments under the federal-state Chesapeake Bay Program for implications to local governments and recommends Bay-related policies to COG’s Board of Directors.

Senator Favola serves on Virginia's Senate Local Government Committee, Rehabilitation and Social Services Committee and Transportation Committee.